


Rescued and Returned

by bettername2come



Series: Protecting the Protector [3]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Spoilers, Gen, Post-Avengers: Endgame (Movie), You've been warned
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-02
Updated: 2019-05-02
Packaged: 2020-02-15 19:53:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,537
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18676348
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bettername2come/pseuds/bettername2come
Summary: In the aftermath of Endgame, Peter returns home and talks with a few more adults who are concerned for his well-being.





	Rescued and Returned

Peter wasn’t sure how long he had sat on the ground by Pepper after Tony had died before a strong reassuring hand landed on his shoulder. “Hey. Let us take care of him,” Captain America said as he and Thor stepped up, lifting their fallen friend off the ground together. A feat either one of them could have accomplished on their own, but that would have seemed disrespectful somehow. Pepper and Rhodey followed behind them, armor clanking loudly as the stunned people around them stared at them as they walked away. It occurred to Peter that he had no clue where they would take him – there was nothing but rubble as far as Peter could see – but his wonderings were soon answered by a swirling yellow vortex opening in front of them. They stepped through in what had to be the weirdest funeral processions Peter had ever seen. The vortex snapped shut as suddenly as it had appeared and the other onlookers slowly parted and quiet conversations popped up as the heroes around reunited with lost loved ones or began treating the wounded.

“You should go home,” a voice called from behind him. Peter turned to see Doctor Strange striding towards him. “Your aunt’s waited for you long enough.”

“How do you know – “ Peter started and then waved it off. “Right, wizard. Kind of goes with the territory, I guess.”

Another swirling gateway appeared. “You did good. I know he was proud of you. But there’s nothing more you can do here. You should go home,” Doctor Strange repeated.

Part of Peter wanted to argue and insist on staying to help, but he knew the doctor was right. Webslinging wouldn’t move rubble or get anyone faster medical treatment than the hundreds of sorcerers who were there, opening gateways to Wakandan medical centers left and right.

“Go,” Doctor Strange said. “I’m sure there’s some crisis in the city after four million people just snapped back to it. That is, if you really can’t bring yourself to sit still _after_ you go tell your aunt you’re alive.”

Peter turned and stepped through the gateway, pretty sure that Doctor Strange would be shoving him through any minute if he didn’t. The sudden change of scenery jolted him. He was still trying to take in the familiar sights of his apartment, along with the unfamiliar – when did May buy that lamp, it was hideous – when he heard May’s gasp.

“Peter?” she asked disbelievingly.

“Hey, Aunt May,” Peter said quietly.

Before he could say anything or move closer, May had crossed the room and enveloped Peter in a hug. “Oh, my God, they did it. They actually did it.”

Peter let out a strangled sob as he hugged his aunt. “Mr. Stark. He’s gone.”

“Oh, Peter,” May said, stroking his hair. “I’m so sorry.”

*

Falling back into the rhythms of daily life was hard for everyone. Peter wasn’t sure if it was worse on the ones who’d come back or the ones who’d been left behind picking up pieces and trying to rebuild their lives only to have everyone else pop back up and shatter their new normal. News coverage of the event was relentless, which wasn’t surprising, but the Avengers had remained pretty tightlipped about things to the press, only stating that, yes, the team had been responsible for obtaining the Infinity Gauntlet and bringing back those they’d lost and that Tony Stark had died using the Gauntlet to defeat Thanos and halt the further attempt to destroy the _entire_ universe. Memorial services popped up around the globe, but the real service was the tiny one at the Stark home guarded by the sorcerers who simply sent reporters and intruders back where they had come from every time they tried to cross the boundary onto the Stark property.

Peter’s invitation had been delivered to him personally. He’d gone out patrolling after May had gone to sleep. She had barely gotten used to the idea of him being Spider-Man before he’d, well, died, he guessed, and the final battle hadn’t really helped in that regard. New York still needed him, now more than ever perhaps in the chaos of the past few days. Not every person who’d returned had a place or people to return to. The city was filled with angry, desperate people making terrible choices, so he did what Spider-Man is supposed to do – save the people who need saving, remind people of their better selves and show them how to find that person again, and when all else failed, punch them until they stayed down and web them up for the police to find. Just a friendly neighborhood Spider-Man, fighting for the little guy. Just like Mr. Stark would’ve wanted. Only without him here, it all felt sort of empty.

So Peter parked himself on top of the Flatiron building to think. Okay, fine, brood. He was mourning the loss of his fourth parental figure before he’d reached adulthood and was trying to make sense of his life in a world that had moved on without him. Brooding was definitely allowed. Only he must have been at it too long because around five a.m., Peter heard the familiar sound of repulsor-fueled flight and metal armor clanking as someone landed on the roof behind him. His heart leapt before he remembered what had happened and that he wasn’t the only person Mr. Stark had made a suit for. A slenderer silver version of the Iron Man suit stood there and a surprisingly maternal voice sounded from inside. “Hey, kid. How you holding up?”

“How did you find me?” Peter asked.

Pepper’s metal face plate retracted. “Uh, _Karen_ called me. Well, called Friday technically. Said you’d been staring silently on the roof of a skyscraper for the past two hours, ignoring all of her attempts to engage you in conversation or send you home.”

“Karen! I told you I’m fine!”

“Your vitals and brain waves would suggest otherwise,” Karen replied.

“A guy can’t trust his own clothing, who can he trust? Strange’s cloak never would’ve pulled this.”

“Apparently, Tony had some failsafes put in place in case you ever ‘went a little too heavy on the teen angst.’ It was either me, Happy or your aunt.”

Peter snorted. “I doubt either of them would’ve been too great up here.”

“Which is why Happy is staying with Morgan. Of course, if she wakes up and he’s still there, she’s probably going to convince him to make her a chocolate milkshake and a cheeseburger for breakfast, so I might regret this decision in a few hours.” Pepper’s voice grew softer. “Really, kid, are you okay?”

“I don’t know,” Peter said, his face crumpling. “It’s not fair. He saves the world over and over again and finally gets to be happy, but then he dies because he wanted to bring us back. Wanted to save the world again. How is that fair?”

“Nobody said it was,” Pepper said. “But it was the only way. He knew that. He also knew we could take it from here.” Pepper smiled. “Do you have any idea how much he loved you? How much he believed in you? He knew what an amazing hero you would be, and he knew how much greater a world with Spider-Man – no – a world with Peter Parker would be than one without. Nearly four billion people disappeared, and your disappearance was the one he regretted most.”

“So, he died because of me?”

“No, he died because Thanos was a psychopath who needed to be stopped. He retired because he thought he failed you. He became a father because of you.”

“What?”

“I’ve known Tony for twenty years. He never once mentioned having kids before he met you. All of a sudden, you come into his life and he’s literally dreaming about us having a kid. And you must have given him one hell of a crash course because he was an amazing father. He became the best version of himself, and a lot of that is on me, but the parenting skills? That grew out of his love for you. And Harley.”

“Who’s Harley?”

“You’ll meet him at the service.”

“Service?”

“For Tony,” Pepper replied.  “We’re trying to keep it from turning into a media circus, so we’re keeping it small. Friday can send you the details tomorrow. Later today actually. After you go home. And find a way to grieve that doesn’t make your A.I. call for help.” The face plate moved back into place and Pepper started to leave, but then paused, raising the plate back up as she turned back to Peter. “Peter, Tony’s been having brushes with death since 2008. He’s always known how his story would end. His legacy is that he wouldn’t let the rest of the universe go with him.”

A tear rolled down Peter’s cheek. “I just wish I could tell him thank you. For saving me. More than once.”

Pepper smiled. “Me too. But I know what he would say to that. Don’t waste it.”

Peter watched her streak off into the sky back to her daughter. _Don’t waste it_. Tony never had. They never could. They owed him that much.


End file.
